It's the 10th anniversary of 9/11 when nearly 3,000 people died after hijacked airliners were crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. Although it is still too early to judge the full effects of these horrific events, there is little doubt that they changed the world. The attacks, for which al-Qaeda claimed responsibility, helped spur the USA and her allies into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, led to increased tension between Muslim and non-Muslim worlds, inspired devastating terror attacks in Bali, Madrid, London and Mumbai, prompted governments to restrict their citizens' freedoms, and provided the backdrop for torture and abuse following the abduction or arrest of suspects.
The attacks remain an emotive and controversial subject and arguments continue to rage about the the explanations for them and the ways in which they have shaped the world in which we live. A good place to start examining the subject is through the BBC's pages on the 10th anniversary, while the special coverage from other news organisations such as Al-Jazeera is also worth investigating. There is also an impressive new educational site on 9/11 which has been set up recently.
